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RPLog:A Brief Interlude
Even as the conflict surrounding Nak Shimor rages on, Javin Mitali's role in it is over - at least, as far as he knows, it is. Finding somewhere in the military base that is both quiet and out of the way has proven quite the challenge, but Mitali has settled for something of a middle ground. He's taken himself to one of the battlements that has been carved into the canyon several hundred feet up, where he's leaning against the stone railing and peering up at the sky, where the battle in orbit can /just/ be made out against the night sky. Since the defeat of the World Devastators, Luke has been joining in efforts of both war and healing, sharing his attention between the battle fields and the infirmaries. It is from a battlefield that he comes now, his Jedi armor dirty and dented in places. His hair is mussed up from the heat and soot of battle, and his face shows the weathering of war, in spite of the shower he'd taken before venturing into the hills to find Mitali. It doesn't take Mitali long to realize his Master is nearby - it isn't the work of the Force, but the calls of gratitude from several military personnel that get the Mirialan's attention. Cracking a smile, he straightens up and lifts a hand to wave to Luke, raising his voice a bit to be heard over the distance. "Welcome back, Master Skywalker!" Luke never minded a little hero worship. When it comes from most military types, he knows what it is… genuine appreciation, rather than the kind of misguided fantasy of younglings or lovestruck girls. He's a humble chap but not above a smirk and playful banter in response to their calls of thanks. Leaving them behind, he heads over toward Mitali, and heaves his armored leg up on a rock. Putting his weight onto it, he sighs and begins unbuckling the plating that covers his legs, hoping he might stretch them out a little. "How're you doing, Javin?" he asks. "All things considered? Very well," Mitali replies, casting a brief look up towards the sky before returning his gaze to Luke. "They've been letting me pitch in when damaged craft show up in need of repairs, which has been nice - though I do still feel a little overdressed," he admits, looking down and picking at one of the armored plates on his chest. Luke smirks a bit when Mitali expresses the oddness at wearing Jedi attire. "Ipex sure was givin' you the hairy eyeball over that, wasn't she?" he asks. "Something tells me she's already picked your brain about it all." He sets the rackety plating down on the brushed metal floor, and switches legs to deal with the other. "You did a fine job inside that beast of a machine," he offers. "Both you and De-Inaris really pulled off some quick thinking." He strips off the other leg's plating, and gratefully drops down into a crouch, his knees perked out at either side to stretch the muscles of his legs. "Urgh," he mutters, with tones mixing gratitude and pain. "Only a little. We haven't really had any time to talk since..." Trailing off, Mitali makes a little bit of a face at the realization. "...since Dac. We didn't even get to say much on Yaartsek, nevermind here - we're both constantly going from one bit of chaos to the next." With a sigh, he shrugs his shoulders and props his chin up in his hands. Such is life. "De-Inaris seems like a nice girl. Good tech, too," he agrees, glancing over with a warm smile for the compliment. At the 'urgh', Mitali's smile goes sympathetic. "Urgh," he echoes with a solemn nod, reaching over to lightly pat his Master on the shoulder. "At least this will probably be over soon. Then we can get back into some clothes that chafe a little less." "Mmm." Luke rises to his feet and chooses to lean up against the railing, his lips flattening out. "The thing I dislike most about war is taking lives. I put those Stormtroopers to a quick, relatively painless death. Much better way to go than having your molecules deconstructed bit by bit." His eyes turn to gaze up at the flashes of war that appear in the sky above. "We saved many lives… millions, possibly. But at the cost of others. The Stormtroopers are only obeying their commanders… following their brainwashed teachings." He shakes his head. "It's a pity that men like us have to carry that weight simply because our conscious remains lucid." Luke isn't merely opening his soul to Mitali, of course. He's also curious to see what kind of empathies this will bring out of the young tech turned apprentice. He's curious to know how Mitali feels about taking so many lives himself, for his hands were just as responsible. "Men like us carry that weight because we choose to," Mitali replies with a smile that is at once warm and tinged with sadness, though the latter is more noticeable around the Miralan's eyes. "Not all beings who fight for the Republic recognize the simple truth that not everyone fighting for the other side, whatever that side may be, are evil. I'm sure it's the same no matter the faction," he says easily, once again lifting his own gaze towards the sky. "Some days, I wish it were all simple black and white, like it is in the stories. Most of the time, though, I'm grateful that it isn't. War should never be easy." "Nor should it ever sit easily inside one's heart and mind," replies Luke. "I for one pity the man who goes into war as easily as he enjoys his dinner, for that man feasts upon the death of his own heart." Eyeing the sky above, Luke turns slowly to face Mitali. "Tell me what you have leared from this experience, Javin." It's a deceptively difficult question, and one that Mitali feels is worth due consideration - and, if he's honest with himself, one that he feels a small amount of pressure to answer well, in light of his status as Luke's apprentice. "More than anything else? That size matters not," Mitali replies after a long moment's thought, looking up at Luke with a small smile. "The World Devastator was nothing compared to two kids with hydrospanners. The rest, I think I'm going to need to think on," he admits, casting his eyes around. "I'm sure there's more to learn from this, but everything has just been so..." He waves vaguely with both hands. After a small grin at that comment about two kids with hydrospanners, Luke adopts a more solemn expression, and nods his head. "Too much, too fast." He leans away from the railing. "The time will come," He scowls slightly as what must have been a large cruiser tips into the atmosphere and bursts into flame, turning into a fiery meteorite as it's disintegrated. As if that decided something, Luke reaches for his leg armor and begins strapping it on. "I think its time for me to go." He pauses, smirking. "See you in the stars?" The light show above catches Mitali's eye and he can't help but grimace, regardless of which fleet it belonged to. In his mind, it doesn't really matter. Not that much. Blinking once, he looks up as Luke begins strapping his armor back on, his mouth quirking into a slight grin. "Once it's a little safer up there, anyway - right now, I'd only be in the way, even /if/ the Force was with me," he says with a self-depreciating laugh, shaking his head. He harbors no illusions about his current lack of skill behind the stick, thank you. "With your permission, I think I'll keep helping out down here until it's time to go back home." Whatever the circumstances of that end up being. Luke gives Mitali a sidelong grin. “Permission granted.” He stands upright, tips his head and says, “Force be with you, Javin.” Then he’s off, headed for the landing pad. Category:Logs